Malaysian sprint star Akim is set to make his Olympic debut in what is considered the most important race of his career. The 20-year-old will compete in the men’s 100 meters event this Saturday at the iconic Stade de France in Paris.
Akim, the national record holder in the men’s 100 meters with a time of 10.09 seconds, also won the bronze medal in the men’s 100 meters at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
This April, he set his season-best time of 10.24 seconds in the United States. Akim arrived in Paris last Monday on a wildcard entry and has declared that everything is going smoothly and he has adapted to the weather conditions.
He plans to keep a low profile before the competition and focus on executing his usual training routine, aiming for survival and progression. Akim is the first Malaysian sprinter to compete in the Olympic 100 meters in 24 years, following Hua Sheng’s participation in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.